North Korea’s official twitter account @uriminzok “our nation” follows only three other accounts - the country of Vietnam @qwertyvn; a Korean propaganda site @Pyongyang_DPRK and, rather unexpectedly, a 25-year-old Texan @JimmyDushku. There appears to be no logical reason for North Korea to be following Mr Dushku, a Coldplay fan who describes himself as a young guy trying to make the world a better place. He told the Mother Jones website: “I was initially surprised, but I always try to make friends with people from all different locations and backgrounds.” Unfortunately for Dushku his link to North Korea has led to death threats from some people on Twitter. Mr Dushku said: “One person wrote in detail about how he was going to come to my house and hurt me; others tell me they hope I die, or that they will be the one to do it.”

A Devon cat which purrs as loud as the sound of a Tube train could be named the world's loudest. Mother-of-two Tracy Westood's pet Merlin's purrs have been measured at an incredible 100 decibels. That means he is four times as loud as the average cat - and as loud as a the sound of a car horn 25ft away. Ms Westwood, 47, from Torquay, said: "When I'm on the phone I often have people asking me what on earth the noise is. But I guess I'm used to it."

A 94-year-old pensioner broke out of hospital in Munich so he could belatedly celebrate his birthday in one of the German city's famous beer halls, police said. A passer-by noticed the elderly man at an underground rail station on Wednesday as he still had an intravenous drip needle implanted in his left hand. He took the slightly dazed man to transport authorities who called the police. "After several calls, it emerged that the pensioner had bolted from a Munich clinic," police said in a statement. "He himself said he was on his way to a beer hall to have a belated birthday celebration." Police said the man was then returned to the hospital, where doctors agreed to allow him to have the tall, frothy beverage of his choice.

Passengers on a flight from Australia were shocked to look out their cabin windows - to see a huge snake on the wing. The 10ft long Amethystine python was clinging on to a flight from Cairns to Papua New Guinea, reports the Daily Telegraph. "Halfway to Papua New Guinea, passengers reported seeing a snake clinging to the wing," a Qantas spokesman said of the snake. A crew member told Australian media that the initial reaction when the python's presence was first reported was "you've got to be kidding".

An alligator-like reptile called 'Mr Teeth' has been found protecting a stash of marijuana in California. Police found the 5ft caiman guarding £60,000 worth of marijuana inside a tank when they stormed a home in Castro Valley. Caimans, usually found in the wetlands of Central and South America, are close relatives of alligators. "We get guard dogs all the time when we search for grow houses and people stashing away all types of dope. But alligators? You just don't see that every day," Sgt JD Nelson said.

A kitten had a lucky escape after he swallowed a six-inch TV aerial and survived. Alphie required emergency surgery when the metal antenna became lodged in his oesophagus and stomach. Owner Vanessa Waite, 36, of Parson Cross, Sheffield, had only owned the young tabby kitten for a few days when he started his love affair with the TV. He would sit for a long time being mesmerised by the moving pictures on the screen, but she had no idea he had also developed an unhealthy obsession with the aerial, she said.